Classic Red Velvet Cake

Y’ALL. How do I not have a red velvet cake recipe on the blog!? I realized this recently and couldn’t understand how I’ve let this happen. THREE YEARS and no red velvet cake recipe.

I don’t even know who I am anymore.

All dramatics aside, I think everyone needs a really good, classic red velvet cake recipe. After my little blog vacation—which I desperately needed after being so burnt out on baking and blogging—I think it’s good to return to the classics. To the things that made you start, and the things that keep you going. Red Velvet is my personal favorite and goes so well with so many different holidays and occasions. Christmas, Valentine’s day, University of Alabama playoff games, etc.

I realize Christmas has come and gone, but to make this cake a little more festive for the holiday season, I added the tiniest drop of peppermint extract to the cream cheese frosting and decorated it with some little rosemary sprigs. But if you’re making this for a different occasion, let’s say Valentine’s day or a birthday or like a Tuesday or something, you can stick with classic cream cheese frosting. You can never go wrong with that stuff.

Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out clean.

Let cakes cool in pans for about 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

for the frosting

Beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth. With mixer running, add butter one piece at a time. (I find that this helps blend the butter in easier and prevents lumps.)

Add vanilla bean paste and half of the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until just combined, and then medium-high speed until completely combined. Repeat with remaining powdered sugar.

assembly

Spread frosting over one (cooled) cake layer. Top with another cake layer; repeat. Spread frosting over the outside of the cake.

Pipe any remaining frosting around the top and decorate with sprinkles or rosemary.

Store cake covered in the refrigerator.

Notes

Recipe frombethcakes. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without permission. If you would like to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.